Secret on the Doorstep
by kmgeek
Summary: What happens after Aragorn? Better yet, who happens?


Aragorn the Sovereign of all Middle Earth was aging, as his beloved wife wore her immortality on her face. Although she looked as she had for the past 200 years, the bright sapphire light that once shown like the sea was dimming. Aragorn was not old, only a mere 85, but nevertheless older than he once was. For long, Aragorn and Arwen had ruled over a hopeful and good Middle Earth, but rumor grew of a great evil amassing once again. This is was far worse than anything begot this land before.

A horn sounded from the keep at Osgiliath, which signaled a messenger's return. Aragorn walked out onto his balcony to oversee this riders approach to the White City. "Aragorn, prey, who comes?" Arwen asked from the courtyard.

"A rider, to bring us news from the East," Aragorn replied looking at his wife lovingly.

He took her and hand and they both walked down to the Great Hall. As they entered, an out of breath messenger, Helath, threw open the doors. "He is coming," Helath panted.

Quite startled, Aragorn said almost convincingly calm, "Come, sit and we shall talk."

He ushered Helath to a table set by a great statue of his father, Arathorn. "Tell me everything."

"I went to city which we once called our enemy, the Black City. Mordor. It is rebuilt."

Arwen gasped and her husband grabbed her hand in comfort. He looked into her eyes, which seemed to give her solace. "What have you heard about this rebuilding?" Aragorn demanded.

"I do not know much. All I know is that an unnamed shadow has again arisen in the land of Mordor and a message came by way of the Rohirrim."

"Give us the message," Aragorn said impatiently

"They are coming for the king and his heir."

Aragorn remained motionless, but a hint of fear could be detected in his eyes. Arwen looked at Aragorn then down at her stomach. She was due to give birth soon. She was supposed to have the child the night before, but it had not happened. Questions ran through her head: What of my unborn child? What of my husband? What of myself? "Leave us," Aragorn whispered without looking up to acknowledge the messenger.

Aragorn turned to Arwen, "We," he trailed off.

Just then Arwen yelped in agony. The child, the time had come. Aragorn called for the healers and midwives. They all rushed to Arwen's side, picked her up and brought her into the House of Healing. Aragorn followed behind. They carried her into the birthing room with Aragorn close by, but all of the women shooed him out. He wanted to be in there with her because he loved her and wished to be with her through everything. Feeling frustrated, he took a walk through the gardens. A stream was babbling and a flutist was playing a mellow tune in the background. These sounds eased his mind. He sat down upon a stone bench beside white birch tree to think. A new evil, what new evil must I face this time. Without Gandalf or the Elves how will Middle Earth survive? New thoughts sprung into his mind. What will I do with my heir? How can I protect them? Suddenly, another messenger scurried up to him, "My Lord," he said as he bowed down.

"Yes, good man?"

"A letter for you," the scrawny, young messenger replied as he handed him a yellow envelope.

Aragorn took the letter and thanked the young man. Examining the envelope first, he noticed it had been sealed with a red ink that was quite familiar and smelled of long bottom-leaf, which was even more familiar. He tore the letter open along the seem and unfolded the slightly burnt piece of parchment. It read:

Dear Aragorn,

It's been so long since I've written. We're doing well here. Rosy and my children are still as beautiful as ever, although I have aged a bit. But haven't we all? How are you and Arwen? Merry and Pippin both say hello. Of course, you've probably seen them more than I have, Merry and Pippin and their adventures. The Shire is in bloom, which, of course, is what happens in the springtime. A new family has moved into Bag End. Actually, it's only a couple, Ithlo and Poppy. They are both very sweet. Ithlo is a great farmer and gardener he could even give my old gaffer a run for his money. Poppy is an amazing cook and she and Rosy have become good friends. They cannot have children, but they wish they had them, so I offered to let them borrow one of mine for a year or so.

Aragorn laughed a hearty laugh as he read this. He could just imagine Sam trying to write this letter, with his gaggle of children tugging at his pants. The thought of all the love and tenderness in that family brought a smile to his face.

We just had our annual Baggins Celebration. Where we celebrate the memory of the Baggins, and we all tell stories and dance. It's quite fun, but it brought back many old memories of Frodo, Bilbo, then of the whole Fellowship. It's been so long since I've seen all of you and I sometimes wonder where everyone has gone. Like Gimli and Legolas, where exactly are they? Last I heard they were in Fangorn Forest with Treebeard and what's left of the Ents. Any way, I was just writing in hopes to see you again soon.

Many good wishes,

Sam

With a last smile, Aragorn folded the parchment and placed it back into its envelope. Just as he had done this one of the midwives came running to him. She was short and very skinny. "My King, sir, Arwen calls for you," she yipped.

He followed her back to the house of healing and into the resting place where Arwen lay on a cot in the corner. She smiled at him from across the room and her twinkling eyes beckoned to him. He walked to her side and sat on the side of the bed. Arwen held up a small child with soft honey, brown eyes the same color as the ones in Aragorn's face. He took the child in his arms, holding it close to him. "What should we call her," Arwen inquired.

"Aralen, Aralen."

Arwen, who possessed the gift of foresight already, knew this was what the name of the child would be, but nevertheless, wanted her husband to help choose the name. "Yes, Aralen," Aragorn repeated.

He looked down at Arwen, who looked back up at him. Their eyes locked, and the world disappeared around them. There was no noise, or motion only them and their new born daughter. They leaned toward each other, when the horn was again sounded from Osgiliath. Aragorn gave little Aralen back to Arwen, arose and walked out of the Healing House to see smoke rising from the defense by the river. Scared, he thought quickly and ran in to get Arwen. "Arwen, you must flee this place. Take Aralen with you and seek refuge in Rivendell."

"I'm not leaving you."

Aragorn looked at Arwen and then at the letter in his hand and then at his newborn child. "I have an idea."

With the help of Shadowfax they stealthily left the realm of Gondor and headed for the Shire. They rode swiftly through the pouring and slicing rain and nimbly through the morning sun. On Dawn of the fifth day of the great escape of Arwen, Aragorn and Aralen they arrived in the Shire. It was still quite dark and the whole town of Hobbiton was still abed. As though he knew the way, Shadowfax galloped through the town and straight to the home of Samwise Gamgee. Aragorn leapt from the horse, helped Arwen who was holding their child down. He knocked on the door, there was scrambling from inside and a fumbling with the lock and out stumbled a weary-eyed Sam. "Sam, my good friend," Aragorn greeted warmly.

"When I wrote you the letter I didn't figure you'd come to see me this quickly," Sam yawned.

Sam smiled and he and Aragorn embraced. Right when they hugged you could tell some of the weariness drained from Sam's body. "My lady," he said reverently and rather surprised when he saw the shape of Arwen behind Aragorn.

"My ladies," he corrected himself when he saw the small girl in Arwen's hands.

Aragorn saw the surprised expression on Sam's face when he saw Aralen. "She is why we are here."

Sam ushered them both inside and offered them some tea. As he went to get the kettle he knocked over a shelf of pots, which made a loud clang as the metal pots hit the ground. A small cry was heard from the other room and Sam ran into get his crying child. He came back out of the room holding a small blonde haired girl of approximately three. "We've got to be quieter, or we'll wake up the whole house. And Rosy would give me a scolding if all the kids wake her up from her little bit rest," Sam told them although he had been the only one creating the racket.

Once they settled down with their tea Aragorn told him all about the rising evil and the threat to little Aralen and how they needed to keep her protected. So, there would be another heir of Arathorn to rule Gondor, and, so, their daughter did not die. He knew that she would be safe in the Shire because the new evil would never think to look for the king's heir in the land of the Halflings. As he was explaining this, Sam's daughter walked over to Arwen and was examining Aralen. "Her ears are funny," Sam's daughter exclaimed.

"That's because she's half-elven," Arwen replied melodically.

"Oh!"

Aragorn and Sam laughed at this and then kept on talking. "Do you want to keep her here with us? We'd be happy to raise her," Sam offered kindly.

"No, Sam. If this new dark lord was to search the Shire they would search you first. I need her to go somewhere where no one would think to look."

Sam thought for a moment, "Ithlo and Poppy Delbark," he mumbled.

Aragorn knew exactly what he had grumbled and nodded at Sam. "Alright. Here's what we'll do," Sam said strategizing, "you leave Aralen on their doorstep with a piece of parchment explaining to go to the Gamgee's and we'll tell them everything."

Aragorn agreed, "Yes. We will do this. Tell the Delbark's to keep Aralen's past a secret, even from Aralen. Tell them to call her by another name, one of their choosing and when she reaches her 15th year, to reveal her past."

"I will, Aragorn. I promise."

Arwen wrote a note to Delbarks and wrapped little Aralen one of Sam's wool cloaks. "Thank you Sam," Aragorn said.

"Anything for a friend."

Sam led them to the door with his daughter following behind him. Aragorn and Sam embraced again and Aragorn said, "Some day we will meet again."

He helped Arwen onto Shadowfax and then climbed up himself. He smiled to Sam and then nudged the horse to start him galloping. "I promise," Aragorn yelled as he sped of down the road.

"Where are they going?" Sam's small daughter asked him.

He picked her up, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "I'm not sure."

Aragorn and Arwen reached the tiny, round door of Bag End. They both dismounted the horse and walked to the door. Arwen gave her little daughter a light hug and kissed her cheek, "I'll love you for all eternity, my daughter."

She handed her to Aragorn who looked into her eyes and said, "Arwen, do not worry, she will survive. She is strong; you can see it in her eyes. They are full of wisdom and knowledge and hope."

He kissed her on the forehead and lay her down on the doorstep to Bag End. Arwen put the note on top of her blanket and as she did baby Aralen lifted her hand and grabbed Arwen's finger. Arwen started to sob silently and Aragorn put his arms around her. He then removed the Evenstar Bracelet from around his neck and placed it around hers. It glowed even more brightly around the neck of little Aralen. She let go of her mother's finger and fell into a soft sleep. Aragorn led Arwen back to Shadowfax and put her on him. He then turned back to the door and knocked on it sharply, and ran back to Shadowfax climbed on him and they galloped away into the rising sun. "I love you," Arwen mouthed into the air.

Almost on call the small child began to cry in the absence of her parents. The knocking and crying awoke the Delbark's and they both went to go see who it was rapping at their door, but as the opened the door they saw no one. Then they looked down and say the crying child. Ithlo, a short and stout man, lifted her up as Poppy, a small, plump red-haired woman, read the note. "She is your long wanted daughter. At noon go to the Gamgee's for an explanation."

As Poppy held the girl she stopped crying. The couple examined the little girl and looked especially carefully at her beautiful necklace. Poppy noticed her pointed ears and said, "Look, Ithlo, she's an elf!"

Ithlo looked at her carefully and was amazed. "What should we call her?" he asked.

Just then, the little girl grabbed hold of Poppy's finger. "Cecily, let's call her Cecily," she said smiling down at the small child.


End file.
